Conference

Hey all! I hope I have your current emails, I'm pretty sure Helen's changed, could someone send me her's? Had an awesome week! I went on trade-offs to Oscoda, did a lot of door-knocking, and met with some potential investigators in that area. I also saw Lake Huron!! The 2nd of the Great Lakes I've seen On Friday, we had quite the hassle trying to get together showing General Conference from the church building, but to no avail. So we spread out to different members, and even watched a session with an investigator. Which was way cool, because we also brought Molly! She's the member that hasn't come in a while, but wants to change her life around, so she heard some very inspiring things. I wrote a few notes from Conference, I really liked Elder Holland's talk of staying true and not reviling again. Thanks for all your prayers, and have a good week. Elder B. Stolp

Eggs

Hey everyone! This past week was good, met with a lot of members, some that haven't met with missionaries in a few months. One couple gave us a lot of food, I like when that happens :) It's cool meeting these families and learning what they're like and what they like. This couple told us a bit about a Chinese couple that run a Chinese buffet. They told us a bit about how they came to know them, and that the Chinese couple now always asks them to come to places with them, like L.A., or on cruises. Speaking of cruises, a family from the branch is on one, and have asked us to take care of their chickens. Free eggs! While door-knocking, we met this really cool guy, Bob. He told us a little bit about his life, and we asked him if he feels that the things he's doing is what God would have him doing, he said no. We went on to explain that the things we share will help him change and direct him to a life God would have him living, that he'd be happy. When we went back to talk with him more, he wasn't there, so hopefully we meet with him soon again. Love you! Elder B. Stolp

Primary Answers

Hey all!
This was a great week, I had fun, and learned much. And it looks like we'll survive with food this last week of the month :) So life's good for me! We met with Molly (after a month of not meeting with her), the young lady that hasn't come to church in years, I think I wrote about her before. She was much more distraught now than before. She's like at her wits ends. A lot of things has happened in this short space of time (the adversary has a tendency of opposing us when we want to do right) since last we've met with her. And she hasn't read from the scriptures, or come to church, or prayed. And she kept telling us that she doesn't know how she's going to make things better even after we asked if she was doing those three things and after we told her to do them. Of course with the things she's done, she'd have to talk with the Branch President to have the repentance process follow the correct authoritative keys, but we'll have to meet with her again to re-commit her to met with the President, she skipped meeting with him yesterday. And yesterday we had such great insight on getting strong in the basics. One of the speakers focused on what will help us get through our lives, through troubling times: the primary answers! Reading scriptures, taking the Sacrament (attending church), and praying. That is what blesses us with spiritual strength. The speaker summarized it as this; get on your mark, get set, go!

 Love, Elder B. Stolp picture of my goofy district, my comp and I are wearing companionship ties (St. Patty's ties)

Finding, Teaching, Changing

Hey everyone!
 This past week was legit, we had Half-mission training, I had trade-offs early in the week, and Elder Bob and I met and taught some people that are interested in learning more (and were also told by some guy we'd get the cops called on us if we knocked on his door). While trying to find a particular guy we met a week before, we met Bob2. He's apparently staying there because he doesn't have a place of his own, yet he's still pretty young, and isn't sure of his religious beliefs. So we told him about the Book of Mormon, why we have it, and how he can come to know of it's truth. I don't know if we'll meet him again, he seems to go to different friends' houses often, but there's always a chance. During Half-Mission training, President talked of some things of his life on a more personal level, and the more I think of his life and the lives of successful, happy people, the more I remember that it's through the everyday activities that we remain strong in the gospel, to let the Atonement change us in our lives. That topic was also talked about yesterday, that we should seek spiritual refinement daily.
 Love you all,
 Elder Stolp

Revelation

Good morning good morning good morning! This week's District Meeting was amazing, it was on revelation through prayer, and we discussed quite a bit about strengthening our own relationship with God, more specifically that as we change to what God would have us to be, He can communicate with/through us even more. That was quite the experience. The work here is still moving forward, we met a lady named Molly this week, and she is very prepared. We were talking a little bit, she mentioned something about prayer, and I asked how prayer has helped her in her life, and she bore her testimony, so of course the spirit was there. She continued to talk about how every person you meet in your life is sent by God, so Elder Bob asked if she felt that we were sent by God, and she felt like we were. She invited us in and we talked more about the importance of the Book of Mormon, that it answers questions like, "How can God really know everything, when we have freewill?" I know this message we share can help her in her life! Till next time, Love, Elder Stolp

Houghton Lake Life

So yesterday was busy, we went at 9am to wake up Bob to make sure he would be awake for a member family to pick him up, and we went to our meeting at the church. We get out of the meeting to the chapel (now around 9:50) and we don't see Bob. He disappeared! We looked around the building, came back in. At like 9:58 he comes in, apparently he just went over to the gas station. After church, we go take the sacrament to a lady in a care facility, she was deaf. Took us a while to have her understand what we we asking her (yelling at her?). Away from the hustle and bustle, we had a great day, in the evening we gave a blessing to an older member, he's pretty cool, reminds me a little of Grandpa Ostler. Tonight I'm going off on trade-offs! Gonna be fun. I love seeing what happens in other areas, and learning new things.
Love you all!
Elder B. Stolp

Great Place to Be

Hello everybody! Still having a great time here, met with quite a number of people this week. While door-knocking on Tuesday, we met Molly. Very caring lady. She talked a lot of her family, she has American Indian ancestors, and loves to coupon. She had a rough past, was into drugs, but is now drug-free, and helps others overcome addictions. I'm certain us teaching the restored gospel of Christ will make so much sense to her. She would be a strength to the branch, can't wait to see what changes will happen in the branch in the next few months. Seems like there's already been some excitement, Elder Bob tells me that a few less-actives are already making progress. I may have already written about this, but here goes, there's a young family, Bob and Molly with five boys, that really add to the branch and were actually answers to prayers of the members a while ago. We're going over to their house on Thursday, to help celebrate Elder Bob's 1 year mark. It's gonna be fun! I'm loving this place, and am excited to keep serving here, talk to you all later! Love, Elder Stolp